A Manhattan federal jury ruled on Monday that Kaloma Cardwell, a former associate at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, failed to provide ample evidence indicating that he was fired or otherwise retaliated against due to his complaints about racial discrimination. This verdict came after almost two weeks of trial over which Judge Gregory H. Woods presided.
Bloomberg Law reports that the jury did not find sufficient proof by preponderance of the evidence that Davis Polk, senior counsel John Bick, or then-managing partner Thomas Reid breached Cardwell’s rights under federal and state laws.
The jury’s decision stipulated that Cardwell didn’t make a compelling case for retaliation following his discrimination complaints. Meanwhile, however, his allegations of misconduct against the two firm lawyers were also dismissed by the jury, clearing them of the alleged wrongdoing.
It is still noteworthy that the parties agreed, during the course of the trial, to dismiss certain undisclosed aspects of the case. The particular details of these dismissed elements, however, were not made public within the proceedings.
The court’s decision highlights the ongoing challenges in proving retaliation claims under both federal and state laws, and further underscores the significant hurdles faced by attorneys in successfully arguing and winning such cases in court.